Rain recording apparatus



-f l c. DISPENZA I 2,908,165.

RAIN RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1957 INVENTOR 04104:; fla s/1x4- 26 g BY Y v ATTORNEY 2,908,165 Patented Oct. 13, 1959 2,908,165 RAIN RECORDING APPARATUS Charles Dispenza, Maplewoo d, NJ.

Application December 10, 1957, Serial No. 701,865

1 Claim. 01. 73 -111) This invention relates to a rain recording apparatus which is completely automatic in operation and incorporates novel means for telemetering measurement of rainfall to a location which may be remote from the point of collection of the rainfall and for so recording the rainfall as visible numbers eliminating the necessity of charts, pen arm and clock driven mechanism. v

Examples of practical devices embodying the invention are described below and in the accompanying drawings; the invention is not limited thereto, but covers all other forms coming within the scope or purview of the disclosure herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a partly diagrammatic, partly sectional, elevational view of an apparatus embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the upper end of the slide arm which may be used in carrying out the invention, shown opening a switch connecting the electrical actuator member of the invention with the power source, to thus disconnect the mechanism until reset,

Fig. 3 is a partly fragmentary, front 'elevational view of a contact plate which may be used in carrying out the invention, showing the lower end of the slide arm in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, ready for automation operation, showing also, in perspective, a counter unit which may be used in carrying out the invention, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The invention may be carried out with an apparatus such as shown in the drawing, including a tank 10 for collecting rainfall, and a float 11 in said tank for vertical movement therein responsive to filling and emptying of the tank by rainfall which may fall into said tank either through the open end 12 thereof or through an independent or separate conduit means. An elongated counterbalancing rack 13 is reciprocably mounted in the apparatus, as for example, by mounting it in a guide support 14 and means are provided for connecting the float and rack for reciprocating the latter responsive to and in unison with the vertical movement of the float as the tank is filled and emptied. Said means may comprise, as

shown in the drawings, a pinion or gear 15 Which may be rotatably mounted on a support meshing with a gear face 16 of the rack 13 and with a similar gear face 17 on an elongated stem 18 fixed to the float 11, the stem 18 being reciprocably mounted in a suitable guide support 19. A syphon tube 21 may be provided, corresponding with the syphon tube 64 of my Patent 2,735,298. A slide arm 22 may be fixed to the lower, end of the rack 13, the end 23 of said slide arm contacting the face 24 of a plate on which a plurality of contacts 26, 27, such as a right and left hand series arranged in staggered relation (Fig. 3) are printed or otherwise provided. The relative proportions and arrangement of the parts described will be such that the slide arm 22 will be disengaged from the contacts 26, 27 while float 11 is at the bottom of the tank as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. At that I 27 position of the float, a finger 28 at the upper end of the float stem 18 engages a tiltably mounted mercury switch 29 which connects the wire 30 from power source 31 and wire 32 fixed to slide arm 22 (or, as shown in Fig. 1, wire 32 may be fixed directly to the rack 13 or to a conductive portion thereof connected with the slide arm 22). Thus,

when the switch 29 is closed (the tank 10 being empty) the apparatus is ready for operation.

When float 11 rises, responsive to rainfall collected in tank 10, rack '13 will be moved downwardly, slide arm 22 will close on a contact'such as 26 or 27. A counter 38 is provided in the apparatus and may be located at any desired point remote from tank 10, said counter having a plurality of number discs rotated responsive to reciprocation of shaft 40 of said counter.

Suitable electrically actuated means are provided for actuating the counter shaft 40 on wiping of the end 23 of slide arm 22 on contacts 26, 27, thus automatically recording and indicating at 39 the precise extent of rainfall collected in the tank 10. As the rack 13 moves down- I ward it slides the end 23 of contact arm 22 over the sets 26, 27 of stationary contacts, insulated from each other (Fig. 4') alternately spaced downward and graduated to any desired subdivisions of units of rainfall. Each of the two sets of stationary contacts is connected as by wires 36, 37 in series with its respective solenoid 43, 49 in the power supply, so thatas the sliding contact 23 which is also connected in series to the power supply 31, moves downward over the stationary contacts 26, 27 the solenoids (43, 49) are alternately energized, causing operation of a reciprocating cam 47 actuating numerical counter 38. The number of stationary contacts traversed by the sliding contact arm are numerically indicated on the counter. Also in series with each solenoid circuit is a switch (55, 58, 59) which opens immediately after each solenoid has been energized, in order to avoid continued passage of current through the solenoid after it has completed the desired operation. Thus, for example, the switch arrangement may bethat shown in Fig. 1 wherein the solenoid 49, on actuation, rotates cam arm 45 to the full line position shown moving the counter arm 48 to the right of the center dotted line 54; arm 45 then rests on switch 5558-59 as shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the circuit to solenoid 49 is opened by separation of contact 55 from contact 59 for solenoid 49, and contacts 5558 are pressed together, closing the circuit to solenoid 43 which is thus made ready for operation when the slide mechanism (Fig. 3) completes the circuit for solenoid 43. Solenoid 43, when energized, moves the cam arm 45 to the 53 dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the cam arm 45 is moved off the switch, allowing the switch arm 55 to close on contact 59 for solenoid 49. Thus, the end of the operation each solenoid moving the cam arm 45 one stroke, cam arm 45 opens the circuit to that solenoid, cutting it off. Thus the solenoid has current flowing therethrough only until it has moved the cam arm 45; the current is then cut off. The electrical circuit and arrangement just described and shown in Fig. 1 is exemplary of mechanisms useful for the purpose mentioned. The specific electrical mechanism for translating the wiping of end 23 of slide arm 22 on the contacts 26, 27 into numbers 39 in counter 38 may be any suitable means such as the electromagnetic arrangement shown in the drawings and below described, including the means 45 for reciprocating arm 48 of counter 38, and may include switch means such as shown at 55, 58, 59' for opening the circuit immediately after movement of arm 48. Examples of devices suitable to that end are shown in the drawings.

Link 41 is actuated by solenoid arm 42 and connected as at 44 with the cam arm 45 for reciprocating arm 48 of counter .38, armf45 being pivoted at 46. Cam 47 of arm 45 is in effect a cam engaging rod 48. keyed to the v her sh wn s a ta ed e pqnsive to actuation of lin s 1 1, m ing h ounte rod. 48 .tcw he d it 1. 11 po t on shown a 'inFi'g and 3, alterna e y pon i t movem n of a m 5 an nga ement vofxlsl de m .7 wi h e co ta ts 2 ,12 A sw t hifii sex neet the wires 56, 57 of the solenoids 43, 49 with the power o rce Win: 3.5 and sa d swit h i so isp ed. tha a shown illi 'g 1 it wi l lo e on t e c nt qtv'58 for the wire 5612f so encidw w th-t e arm/ 2 of so enoid 45 nded, 'a d' h he a m .50 0f s len id 49is xte d d, mo ing mc n 5 to e o ed l e pos i n 5 sw h 55 will-cl e-onthe con act 59 f9 .W r 5 of solen id 9-,

The pp cf th rack .,3 is pro d d wi h a fin er 60 5in. ic (Fi 2) w ll ngage the wi ch! t mo th a e o s ope a po t n when ac 13 is at i lower os nh i io (Fi 2) cu n the mech ni m ctf ntil i vis eby h p rat "(P e mp ying the a k,

Hav g t us descri my i nti w a 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a rain re rding ppa a s, a de a m mo ahlv disposed in said apparatus, means in said apparatus to mo e the s ide arm responsive. to e extent of rainfall, slide contacts disposed insaid apparatus for selective engagement on such movement of the slide arm, a recorder operative, on movement, to record the extent of rainfall, an arm pivotally mounted in the apparatus'relative to the recorder and adapted on pivotal movement'to engage and move the recorder, thus recording the extent of rainfall,

a said pivotally mounted arm only for...,a.;limited distance and being then automatically de-energizedelectrically.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dispenza Fel5. 1 9,56

electrically operable members engaging saidarm at opposite pointsfof .the pivotal mounting of vthe/arm, and 

